Treatment for Pesticide Poisoning 257
When pesticides are swallowed
People can swallow pesticides by eating, drinking, or
smoking cigarettes in the fields while working with
pesticides, or by drinking water polluted with pesticides.
Children can drink or eat pesticides, especially if pesticides
are stored in containers also used to hold food, or left in
the open or low to the ground.
Treatment
When someone swallows pesticides:
• If the person is unconscious, lay her on her side and
make sure she is breathing.
• If the person is not breathing, quickly do mouth-to-
mouth breathing (rescue breathing, see page 557).
Mouth-to-mouth breathing can also expose you to
the pesticide, so cover your mouth with a pocket
mask, a piece of cloth, or thick plastic wrap with
a hole cut in the middle, before you start mouth-
to-mouth breathing.
Eating foods sprayed
with pesticides might
make you sick later.
• Find the pesticide package and read the label
right away. The label will tell you if you should make the person vomit
up the poison or not.
• If the person can drink, give her lots of clean water.
• Seek medical help. If it is available, always take the pesticide label or
name with you.
Do not vomit if the label says not to. Never vomit after
swallowing a pesticide that contains gasoline, kerosene,
xylene, or other petroleum-based liquids. This will make the
problem worse. Never make the person vomit or drink if she is
unconscious, confused, or shaking badly.
If you are sure vomiting is OK,
give the person:
• a glass of very salty water or
• 2 tablespoons of pounded
strong‑tasting edible plant (such as
celery, basil, or another local herb)
followed by 1 or 2 glasses of warm
water
Keep the person moving around.
This can help her vomit sooner.
After vomiting, activated or powdered
charcoal (see next page) can help absorb any poison still in the stomach.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012